To:
Hon Rob Lucas MLC
Treasurer
This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of the Public Sector Act 2009, the Public Sector Regulations 2010 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1987 and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.
This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.
Submitted on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment by:
Erma Ranieri
Chief Executive
The 2019-20 financial year has been an extraordinary period in South Australia’s history, with drought, bushfire and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic challenging the resilience of our community.
During this time, the public sector has operated at a high operational tempo to provide essential services to the community.
Enabling the public sector to sustain this tempo effectively and safely has been a key focus of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment (OCPSE) in 2019-20.
OCPSE has provided leadership to overcome immediate sector-wide workforce challenges. This has included:
- advice and resources to enable agencies to develop and implement their business continuity plans in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including activation of remote working arrangements where possible and transition to COVID-safe workplaces
- collaborated with Public Sector HR leaders and professionals to help them navigate COVID-19 workforce challenges
- mobilisation of public sector employees under the new Public Sector Mobilisation Policy to fill shortages in leading response agencies during the pandemic
- resources to help employees and managers look after their health and wellbeing and remain productive during the pandemic
- online delivery of the South Australian Leadership Academy learning programs to meet the needs of a dispersed workforce
- new paid leave provisions to assist employees called out as part of the deployment of the Australian Defence Force Reserves to assist the bushfire emergency or impacted by COVID-19.
With the extraordinary changes to workplaces brought on by COVID-19, OCPSE has also been at the forefront of positioning the public sector to think beyond conventional parameters and activate a ‘new normal’.
Work will continue next year to reimagine service delivery with a renewed focus on the customer, accelerate digitalisation, and how we will reshape the workforce to be more adaptable and diverse.
In addition to emergency response OCPSE has also continued during the year to deliver actions under the I Work for SA – Your Voice Action Plan, including:
- mentally healthy workplaces toolkit
- diversity and inclusion strategy and plan
- disability employment strategy, plan and toolkit
- managers’ essentials program.
These new initiatives have delivered resources that enable the public sector to build workplaces that are healthy, diverse and well-led.
The office has also continued to perform strongly on several key programs it is responsible for delivering:
- Skilling South Australia – despite COVID-19 the team met all its targets
- Aboriginal Employment – on track to deliver 100 training commencements by December 2020
- Implementation of the new Workplace Health and Safety and Injury Management Systems
I acknowledge 2019-20 has been a highly disruptive year for OCPSE staff, with new business priorities and working arrangements as a result of COVID-19. During this time, OCPSE staff have epitomised the Public Sector Values in their work and conduct.
I thank all OCPSE staff for their efforts, and I look forward to working with them in the coming year as South Australia recovers from the challenges of 2019-20.
Erma Ranieri
Chief Executive
Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Overview: about the agency.
- Our strategic focus.
- Our organisational structure.
- Changes to the agency.
- Our Minister
- Our Executive team
- Legislation administered by the agency
The agency’s performance
- Performance at a glance
- Agency contribution to whole of Government objectives
- Agency specific objectives and performance
- Corporate performance summary
- Employment opportunity programs
- Agency performance management and development systems
- Work health, safety and return to work programs
- Executive employment in the agency
Financial performance
- Financial performance at a glance
- Consultants disclosure
- Contractors disclosure
Risk management
- Risk and audit at a glance
- Fraud detected in the agency
- Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
- Public interest disclosure
Reporting required under any other act or regulation
Public complaints
- Number of public complaints reported
Service Improvements resulting from complaints or consumer suggestions over 2019-20
Appendix: Audited financial statements 2019-20
Our strategic focus
Our Purpose | We unlock the potential of public sector employees to be a high performing workforce that delivers the best outcomes for the South Australian community | |
Our Vision | We will achieve our purpose by engaging and partnering with our customers and stakeholders and by aligning our decision-making and behaviours to the Public Sector Values. Our strategies are aligned to the whole-of-sector vision to be One Government, One Employer and support our sector to be an Employer of Choice. | |
Our Values | Service Professionalism Trust Respect | Collaboration and Engagement Honesty and Integrity Courage and Tenacity Sustainability |
Our functions, objectives and deliverables | Our functions are to optimise the public sector workforce and to lead transformation, innovation and reform across the sector. Our objectives are to:
Our deliverables are:
| |
Our organisational structure
Changes to the agency
During 2019-20 there were no changes to the agency’s structure and objectives as a result of internal reviews or machinery of government changes.
Our Minister
The Treasurer, the Hon Rob Lucas MLC, is our Minister.
Our Executive team
Erma Ranieri | As Chief Executive, Erma provides strategic leadership for the office and is accountable for its organisational performance. She leads the OCPSE to help unlock the sector’s potential in key areas including: statutory advice, reform, human resources, culture, performance, leadership development, work, health and safety and, employment programs. |
Shelley Willsmore Chief Human Resources Officer | Shelley provides across-government leadership on people strategies to attract, develop, mobilise and retain talented and capable people in the South Australian public sector. She is working to elevate the capability of the HR profession across the sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shelley has been at the forefront of protecting the health and wellbeing of public sector employees providing timely workforce guidance and mobilising resources to support the Government’s COVID-19 response. |
Anthony Mackay | As well as managing OCPSE’s corporate and financial functions, Anthony leads the work programs for: business intelligence (including workforce data collection and analysis), workplace health and safety, injury management and human resources systems and salary sacrifice. |
Legislation administered by the agency
Public Sector Act 2009
Public Sector (Honesty and Accountability) Act 1995
Performance at a glance
During 2019-20, OCPSE re-prioritised resources to respond to urgent public sector workforce issues that emerged during the pandemic emergency. OCPSE:
- led the sectors mobilisation efforts and referred over 500 public sector employees to be mobilised in support of the Government’s COVID-19 response
- issued guidance and resources to enable agencies to continue service delivery safely during and after the pandemic emergency
- developed new leave provisions to support employees impacted by COVID-19
- created new employee resources on health and safety, working from home and performance management and development
- introduced new leadership offerings and online delivery of South Australian Leadership Academy programs
- led work with a selection of chief executives to define the longer-term workforce transformation activities required to enable effective recovery.
Concurrently, OCPSE continued to progress the I Work for SA – Your Voice Action Plan with reduced resourcing. Achievements during the year included launch of the:
- mentally healthy workplaces toolkit
- diversity and inclusion strategy and plan
- disability employment strategy, plan and toolkit.
OCPSE also supported the Commissioner in meeting her obligations under the Public Sector Act 2009, including:
- the Commissioner’s annual report to Parliament (the State of the Sector report)
- updated Code of Ethics, incorporating the new Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018
- investigations employment and industrial matters.
Agency contribution to whole of Government objectives
Key objective | Agency’s contribution |
|---|---|
More jobs | Coordinated the public sector’s Skilling South Australia traineeship program, resulting in 702 public sector traineeships commencements in 2019-20. |
Lower costs | Created the potential for agencies to achieve significant reductions in their cost of procuring Workplace Health and Safety, Injury Management and Human Resources Systems by eliminating duplication of procurement tasks and the provision of tools and templates. |
Better Services | Implemented mobility practices enabling over 500 public sector employees to be referred to support the Government’s COVID-19 response. |
Agency specific objectives and performance
Agency objectives | Indicators | Performance |
COVID-19 Response: Provide leadership and support to public sector to manage impacts of COVID-19
| OCPSE provides timely and relevant leadership and support to allow agencies to mobilise and protect their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic | Achievements include: * advice and resources to enable agencies to develop and implement their business continuity plans in light of the COVID pandemic, including activation of working off-site arrangements where possible and transition to COVID-safe workplaces * referral of over 500 public sector employees for mobilisation under the new Public Sector Mobilisation Policy to fill shortages in frontline services during the pandemic * resources to help employees and managers to look after their health and wellbeing and remain productive during the pandemic * adaption and online delivery of Leadership Academy learning programs to meet the needs of a dispersed workforce and navigate a pandemic * new paid leave provisions to assist employees impacted by COVID-19 |
Statutory and Governance: Successful execution of the statutory powers of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, and support critical across-government employment matters | Update Code of Ethics | Completed |
Complete and publish 2019 State of the Sector | Completed | |
Ensure merit based recruitment of public service chief executives and some statutory office holders | Coordinated or participated in 11 recruitments and led the contract renewal of 6 chief executives/senior officers | |
Support Remuneration Tribunal of South Australia | Provided secretariat support to enable the Tribunal to perform its role and function in accordance with legislation. | |
Effective workforce: Drive delivery of cross-sector frameworks and initiatives to support an efficient and effective public sector workforce | Support agencies to create mentally healthy workplaces by delivering a framework and supporting tools and piloting a peer support model | Mentally healthy workplaces framework launched. Implementation across the public sector commenced. Guidelines on establishing peer support programs finalised, and training for peer support officers is being delivered through an online module and webinar. Gained approval for additional Employee Assistance Program counselling support sessions for Frontline workers in response to the pandemic. |
Coordinate South Australian Government Traineeship and Graduate program | 2019-20 across-government target for traineeship commencements met (702 training commencements*) * includes training contracts terminated after 3 months of commencement | |
Increase Aboriginal employment | 66 participants in the Aboriginal Traineeship Program secured public sector employment | |
1082 Aboriginal job seekers registered on Public Sector Aboriginal Employment Register | ||
Develop South Australian Public Sector Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by 30 December 2019 | Strategy launched December 2019. Diversity Inclusion Plan 2019-20 implementation underway | |
Develop South Australian Public Sector Disability Employment Strategy by 30 June 2020 | Strategy and Toolkit launched June 2020 | |
Enhance the public sector’s position as an Employer of Choice | Launch and implementation of the strategies mentioned above. Managed the South Australian Government’s Salary Sacrifice Arrangements Agreement with Maxxia | |
Innovation, engagement and business intelligence: Enable a productive public sector through innovation, collaboration, partnerships and improved business intelligence | Continue implementation of the Public Sector Innovation Lab | Completed 40 projects since September 2017 |
Report workforce information | Published 2019 Workforce Information Report in December 2019 Developed capability to report workforce information from an annual to monthly basis | |
Human Resource Reform: Collaborate with SAPS agencies to ensure the sector has the frameworks, systems and human capital to support an efficient and effective government | Develop a HR Strategy for the Sector | Approved by Senior Management Council in March 2020 |
Support improved employee participation in performance management and development. | New guidance has been developed to assist managers in targeting agile and flexible PMD processes in response to COVID-1 | |
Support effective induction and performance management and development of chief executives (only those directly employed by the Premier) | Coordinated chief executive performance appraisal process | |
Provided induction for new chief executives | ||
Deliver strategic whole-of-government leadership development programs | 10 existing programs delivered (redesigned and implemented for online delivery due to COVID-19) Delivered 3 new offerings – Executive Refresh Series, Leadership Webinar Series and Virtual on the Couch Series (in conjunction with IPAA SA) Developed COVID-19 Toolkit for Leaders | |
Deliver contemporary Human Resources Systems | Progressed the development of platforms for work health and safety, injury management and performance management and development (cluster agencies) systems for rollout in 2020-21. |
Corporate performance summary
Employment opportunity programs
OCPSE actively ensures our workplace is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the South Australian community.
During the reporting period:
- 69.7 per cent of OCPSE workforce were women
- 66.6 per cent of OCPSE executives were women
- 27.3 per cent of OCPSE employees work part-time
- 7.6 per cent of OCPSE employees were Aboriginal
- 4.6 per cent of OCPSE employees declared a disability.
Agency performance management and development systems
Performance management and development system | Performance |
|---|---|
Performance plans are facilitated and documented through the OurDevelopment learning management system. The formal Performance Discussion process is biannual, and focusses on engaging with our people, and building relationships. | As at 30 June 2019, 100% of employees had a performance development discussion in the past six months |
Work health, safety and return to work programs
Program name | Performance |
|---|---|
Wellbeing for Our People Program | OCPSE participated in the following DTF led programs:
|
Workplace injury claims | 2019-20 | 2018-19 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Total new workplace injury claims | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Fatalities | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Seriously injured workers* | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Significant injuries (where lost time exceeds a working week, expressed as frequency rate per 1000 FTE) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
*number of claimants assessed during the reporting period as having a whole person impairment of 30% or more under the Return to Work Act 2014 (Part 2 Division 5)
Work health and safety regulations | 2019-20 | 2018-19 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of notifiable incidents (Work Health and Safety Act 2012, Part 3) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Number of provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices (Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Sections 90, 191 and 195) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Return to work costs** | 2019-20 | 2018-19 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Total gross workers compensation expenditure ($) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Income support payments – gross ($) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
**before third party recovery
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/work-health-and-safety-and-return-to-work-performance-ocpse
Executive employment in the agency
Executive classification | Number of executives |
|---|---|
SAES2 | 3 |
SAES1 | 0 |
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/executives-in-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.
Financial performance at a glance
The following is a brief summary of the overall financial position of the agency. The information is unaudited. Full audited financial statements for 2019-20 are attached to this report.
Statement of Comprehensive Income | 2019-20 | 2019-20 Actual $000s | Variation $000s
| 2018-19 Actual $000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 14 285 | 13 473 | 812 | 13 128 |
Revenues | 4 507 | 4 642 | 135 | 5 105 |
Net cost of providing services | 9 778 | 8 831 | 947 | 8 023 |
Net Revenue from SA Government | 4 256 | 4 256 | 0 | 12 608 |
Net result | (5 522) | (4 575) | 947 | 4 585 |
Total Comprehensive Result | (5 522) | (4 575) | 947 | 4 585 |
Statement of Financial Position | 2019-20 | 2019-20 Actual $000s | Variation $000s
| 2018-19 Actual $000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Current assets | 2 925 | 2 920 | (5) | 8 381 |
Non-current assets | (100) | 2 | 102 | 1 |
Total assets | 2 825 | 2 922 | 97 | 8 382 |
Current liabilities | 3 133 | 1 910 | 1 223 | 2 785 |
Non-current liabilities | 1 867 | 1 872 | (5) | 1 882 |
Total liabilities | 5 000 | 3 782 | 1 218 | 4 667 |
Net assets | (2 175) | (860) | 1 315 | 3 715 |
Equity | (2 175) | (860) | 1 315 | 3 715 |
Consultants disclosure
The following is a summary of external consultants that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for the work undertaken during the financial year.
Consultancies with a contract value below $10,000 each
Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
All consultancies below $10,000 each - combined | Various | $5,553 |
Consultancies with a contract value above $10,000 each
Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
PricewaterhouseCoopers | Whole of Government actuarial review of workers compensation liabilities | $99,091 |
Ernst & Young | Support provided in planning workforce continuity, transition and transformation post – COVID-19 | $69,425 |
Total | $168,516 |
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/consultants-engaged-by-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
See also the Consolidated Financial Report of the Department of Treasury and Finance for total value of consultancy contracts across the South Australian Public Sector.
Contractors disclosure
The following is a summary of external contractors that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for work undertaken during the financial year.
Contractors with a contract value below $10,000
Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
All contractors below $10,000 each - combined | Various | $125,778 |
Contractors with a contract value above $10,000 each
Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
Oz Train Pty Ltd | Development and Delivery of Executive Excellence Workshop | $10,000 |
Emotous Pty Ltd | Delivery of Manager Essentials Program - Conduct SEL Assessment for 175 participants | $10,500 |
Hannan Duck & Partners Pty Ltd | Strategic Plan | $12,666 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers | Enterprise Risk Workshop | $14,840 |
Zed Management Consulting | Delivery of module 4 of Manager Essentials Program | $15,800 |
Thornhall Pty Ltd | Facilitation of the Leading Self Workshops Executive Excellence Program | $17,375 |
Mercer Consulting (Aust) Pty Ltd | Chief Executive Work Value Review | $18,625 |
Anna Ranaldo Consulting | Delivery of Dare to Lead Workshop | $19,400 |
Emotous Pty Ltd | Delivery of Module 1 of Manager Essentials Program | $19,500 |
Emotous Pty Ltd | Delivery of Module 2 of Manager Essentials Program | $19,500 |
Emotous Pty Ltd | Delivery of Module 3 of Manager Essentials Program | $19,500 |
Innergise Pty Ltd | Delivery of Public Problem Solving Workshop Next Execs | $20,416 |
Richard Dennis | Drafting of Public Sector Determination 2020 | $24,150 |
Human Psychology | Design and Delivery of the Peer Support Officer Online Training Program | $25,000 |
Job Slots | $27,738 | |
Uncharted Leadership Institute | Development of Adaptive Leadership Workshop Executive Excellence | $49,145 |
K Ashcroft Consulting | Delivery of Administration of TLC, Debrief of TLC, Coaching Services for The Next Execs Program, Coaching Services for Executive Excellence Program | $72,000 |
Pricewaterhousecoopers | Delivery of SAGSSA 2020 review | $111,047 |
Deloitte Risk Advisory Pty Ltd | Provision of external audit program - Audit and Verification System (AVS) audit services. | $187,790 |
Total | $ 694,992 |
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/contractors-engaged-by-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
The details of South Australian Government-awarded contracts for goods, services, and works are displayed on the SA Tenders and Contracts website. View the agency list of contracts.
The website also provides details of across government contracts.
Risk and audit at a glance
The OCPSE Risk and Performance Committee members are:
- Yvonne Sneddon (Chair) – Independent of SA Government
- Kim-Sherie Summers – Department of Human Services
- Eva Balan-Vnuk – Department of the Premier and Cabinet
- Chris McSporran – Department of Treasury and Finance
- Anthony Mackay – Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
- Shelley Willsmore – Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Fraud detected in the agency
Category/nature of fraud | Number of instances |
|---|---|
Nil | 0 |
NB: Fraud reported includes actual and reasonably suspected incidents of fraud.
Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
OCPSE is committed to the prevention, detection and control of fraud, corruption, maladministration and misconduct in connection with its activities.
As an attached office to the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), OCPSE has adopted DTF’s Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy and Fraud and Corruption Control Strategy.
The main elements of the Control Strategy are:
- Governance and Ethics
- Awareness and Training
- Fraud Prevention
- Detection and Investigation
- Monitoring and Reporting.
More specifically, DTF’s detection, control and prevention strategies include:
- Relevant financial policies and procedures
- Documenting fraud risks in a Departmental risk register
- Appropriate segregation of duties
- Review of transaction reports
- Review of management reports
- external audits
- Review of internal controls post an incident
- Financial year end declarations process
- Fraud and corruption awareness training for new and existing employees.
The Control Strategy also requires serious or systemic offences against OCPSE and/or the South Australian Public Sector to be referred to the Office for Public Integrity (OPI) or inquiry agencies to investigate.
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/fraud-detected-in-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
Public interest disclosure
Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018:
Seven public interest disclosures were made to the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment as a relevant authority under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018.
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/whistleblower-disclosures-in-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
Note: Disclosure of public interest information was previously reported under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993 and repealed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 on 1/7/2019.
Act or Regulation | Requirement |
|---|---|
Public Sector Act 2009 | OCPSE supports the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment to prepare an annual report, as required by section 21 of the Public Sector Act 2009. Section 21 requires the Commissioner’s annual report to describe the extent of observance of the Public Sector Principles in so far as they relate to public sector employment and measures taken by the Commissioner to promote observance of those principles. The Public Sector Regulations 2010 further requires the Commissioner to report annually on
The Commissioner’s annual report – known as the State of the Sector – is provided to the Treasurer before 30 September each year for tabling in Parliament within 12 sitting dates of receipt by the Treasurer. The State of the Sector report can be found at: https://www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/about/Our-Work/Reporting/State-of-the-Sector * repealed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 on 1/7/2019 |
Number of public complaints reported
Complaint categories | Sub-categories | Example | Number of Complaints 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
Professional behaviour | Staff attitude | Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency | 0 |
Professional behaviour | Staff competency | Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided | 0 |
Professional behaviour | Staff knowledge | Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge | 0 |
Communication | Communication quality | Inadequate, delayed or absent communication with customer | 0 |
Communication | Confidentiality | Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly | 0 |
Service delivery | Systems/technology | System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design | 0 |
Service delivery | Access to services | Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities | 0 |
Service delivery | Process | Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive | 0 |
Policy | Policy application | Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given | 0 |
Policy | Policy content | Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer | 0 |
Service quality | Information | Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose | 0 |
Service quality | Access to information | Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English | 0 |
Service quality | Timeliness | Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met | 0 |
Service quality | Safety | Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness | 0 |
Service quality | Service responsiveness | Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations | 0 |
No case to answer | No case to answer | Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate | 0 |
Total | 0 |
Additional Metrics | Total |
|---|---|
Number of positive feedback comments | 0 |
Number of negative feedback comments | 0 |
Total number of feedback comments | 0 |
% complaints resolved within policy timeframes | 0 |
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/public-complaints-received-by-the-office-of-the-commissioner-for-public-sector-employment
Service Improvements resulting from complaints or consumer suggestions over 2019-20 Nil |